John b



Patented Dec. 22, 1925.

UNITE D?" T A TES Laatse rice.

JOHN F. O?CONNOR, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY ASSIGNMENTS, TO

W, H. MINER, ING., A CORPOATION OF DELAW'ARE.

SHOCK-AB'SORBING MECHANISM.

ToV all whom it may-concern.'

Be it known that I, JOHN F. OCoNNoR, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Shock-,Absorbmg Mechanisms, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification.` v a This invention relates-to improvements in shock absorbing mechanisms.

One object of the invention is to provide a shock absorbing mechanism capable of use wherever heavy shocks` are. to be cushioned, including railway draft rlggings wherein a plurality of springs are provided arranged to operate in tandem. v More specifically, the object of the inven tioiris to provide a mechanism of the character indicated comprising front, rear and intermediate units, each including a spring resistancey element and lcoacting follower means, wherein the units are arranged end for end longitudinally of the 4mechanism, with the springs disposed in tandem formation. v

Other'objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the description and claims hereinafter follow- :In theI drawings forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a horizontal, longitudinal, sectional view of a portion of a railway draft riggingshowing my improvements in connection therewith. Figures 2, 3 and 4 are vertical, sectional views cor'- responding respectively to*` the lines .2e-2, 343 and4-4 of Figure 1; And Figures and G'are detailed, perspective views respectively ofy a central'followerand an ins termediate follower used in connectionwith my improved mechanism;

In said dra-wings, 10'-10indicate channel shaped center or draft sills of a railL way car underframe, tothe inner faces of which are secured'v front stop lugs 11-11 andrear stop lugs 12412. A portion of the drawbar is indicated at 13, to which is attached al hooded yoke 14. The vshock absorbing mechanism proper is disposed within the yoke 14'and the movable parts'ofthe draft rigging'are supported'by a detachable saddle plate 15.

longitudinally Application filed December 8,1923v Serial No. 679,309.

The improved shock absorbing mecha-y v nism, as shown, comprises broadly, front and rear follower casings A-A; central followers B-Bg intermediate followers C-C; triple tandem arranged springs kD--D-D; and a.v retainer bolt E. l

Each casing A is of generally rectangular form throughout its length and is provided i lthereof as indicated at 19-19, for a distance not less than the sum of the thickness of one of the intermediate followers C and the permissible stroke of the mechanism. The top and bottom limits of the recesses 19 arey defined by radially eXtendingLfaces 20-2() at the'top'and bottom of the casing, as most clearly shown in Figure 2. The rear follower casing A is similarly recessed at the top and bottom thereof as indicated. at 19-19, the opposite sides ofthe recesses be-, ing defined by similar radially extending faces 20-20, as most clearly shown in Figure4. v Y

The central follower members B--B 4are of like construction, each comprising -a disc like section 21, having diametrically opposed, extending arms 2Q-22 formed-integral' therewith. The, opposite longitudinal edges ofeach arm are cut away on planes radial to the axisk of the mechanism, thereby providing longitudinally ex, tending faces 23-23. A t the freeend of each arm 22 is provided a longitudinally projecting central lug 24 for apurpose vhereinafterdescribed. One ofthe followers B has the discend thereof abutting the inner end'of v'the front follower'casing A. andthe arms QQthereof extending. rearwardly atl opposite sides of' thefgear, being slidably disposed' between the forwardly projecting, horizontally disposed arms `22,0f the other follower B, which has the disc thereof abutting the inner' ends ofthe rear follower casing A. The arms 22' of each follower B Y slidably engage the curved edges of the disc 21 of the other follower B, each arm being cut away on the inner side for the entire length thereof to lcorrespond with the curvature'of the'disc so as to clear the same. The curved inner surfaces of the four arms 22 define a continuous cylindrical chamber adapted to house one of the spring resistance elements D. The followers B are thus adapted for relative sliding movement with the arms of the respective followers working in the recesses 19 of the corresponding casings A, and the edge facesv 22 in sliding con-l i tact'with the faces 20.

Each of theintermediate followers C `is in the form of a flat plate of generally circular form having pair of wings 25-25 on diametrically opposite sides thereof. One

' lines as indicated at 27-27 so that the Vfaces thereof will register with the faces 23 of the corresponding follower B. Each of the followers C isthus carrie-d at the free ends of the arms 22 for movement in unison with the corresponding central follower B, with the disc portion slidably. disposed within the bore 16 of the correspondingfollower A and the wings 25 working in the opposed recesses 19.

l The spring resistance elements D 'are three in number, each preferably consisting of a relatively light inner coil and a relatively .heavy outer coil. One of the spring Vresistance elements D is interposed between the two central followers B B and one of each of the two remaining spring resistance elements D is interposed betweenthe end wall l.en

17 ofone of the casings A and the adjacent intermediate follower C.

` `The retainer bolt E has its opposite ends anchored within inwardly projecting, hollow bosses 28-28 on the end walls'of` the front and rear follower casingsrespectively, the shank of the bolt extending Vaxially Athrough the springs D and alined openings Y in the followers B and C. The retainer bolt serves to maintain the over-all length of the gear and holds the parts under initial compression. In this connection, it is pointed out that the spring followers B-B and the spring followers C-C together form a com' plete unit which is ydistinct from the front and rear follower units, the same being so Y designed that a plurality of such units may be used between the front and rearV follower casings, without modification of the latter.

It will be evident that by this arrangement,

gears of various capacities may be provided,

by merely varying the number of central drawbar, oneset of followers A, B and (l will be held stationary and the other set of followers C, B and A respectively coacting therewith will move in unison relatively toward the first named set so that Athe three spring resistance elements will be compressed f simultaneously, the central spring resistance being-'compressed between the two central followers B and the two end springs being each compressed between the end wall of one of the endV followers Ay and the correspondingr follower C. Compression of the springs will be limited., preventing the same from kbeing` driven solid, by the arms 22 of the respective intermediate followers engaging the inner end walls of the recesses 19 of the front and rear follower casingsvA, whereupon the forces will be transmitted directly through the two end followers A the two central followers B to the draft Not only is the central spring completely housed, as hereinbefore described, but it will also be noted that the end springs are also substantially completely housed, thus afford- Ving the maximum protection to the springs from deterioration by the elements. Furthermore, it will be. observed that, under full load,- I have provided an exceptionally strong column inasmuch as allthe parts will be preferably so made as to have engagementbetween the various sets of shoulders simultaneously. All the parts may be manufactured at rcomparatively smallY expense,V and as previously mentioned. thecapacity of the mechanism may be varied by simply varying the number of central units 'and n interposing them Vbetween the end ysets of parts.

I have herein shown and described what I now consider the preferred manner of carrying out my invention, but thesame is merely illustrative and l'contemplate al1 changes and modifications that come within the scope of the claims appended hereto. e

1 claim:

1. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; a plurality of intermediate fol'- lowers movable in unison with each end follower,all of said intermediate followers being separable from said end followers; and spring resistance means coacting with the respective followers.

2. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with relatively movable end followers; of two sets of intermediate followers; means for maintaining the followers composing each set spaced a fixed distance; means separable from each set of intermediate followers for maintaining a fixed spaced relation between each end follower and the corresponding set of intermediate followers; and cushioning` elements coacting with the respective followers,

3. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with two series of followers, each seri'es including spaced, end, central and intermediate followers, the followers of one set being alternated with the followers of the other set and movable relatively thereto, said intermediate and central followers being separable from the end followers; and cushioning means interposed between corresponding followers of .each series.

1l. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with front and rear follower casings; of a pair of central followers each abutting one of said casings, said central followers each having abutment means thereon; a pair of intermediate followers yeach 4engaging the abutment means of one of said central followers; and cushioning means interposed between the central followers, and between each follower casing and the corresponding intermediate follower.

5. In a shock absorbing mechanism, Vt-he combination with three sets of relatively movable followers; of cushioning means interposed between each set of relatively movable followers; and means for detachably connecting corresponding followers of each set.

6. In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination of two series of followers, each series including end, central and intermediate followers, each of said followers being a separate unit; of tandem arranged cushioning means coacting with said followers.

7 In a shock absorbing mechanism, the combination with two series of followers, each series including an end follower; a central follower and an intermediate follower; of abutment means on the respective followers for maintaining the followers of each series definitely spaced; and cushioning means interposed between followers of the two series.

In witness that I claim the foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 4th day of December, 1923.

JOI-IN F. OCONNOR. 

